She Talks Profile: Alysha Brilla

Alysha has been making music since she was a child. She loves producing music and is grateful to have released songs from her heart to some really incredible response. Between having auto-immune disease, being severely bullied in school and having varying run-of-the-mill artist mental health idiosyncrasies (chicken and egg- do I make art because I am depressed or am I depressed because I'm an artist?), music has always been the place where she feels ok on this planet and in this life. She doesn’t have all the answers, but she certainly has a lot of questions. Yoga has also helped her find peace. Alysha is a three-time Juno nominated artist.

Name the biggest overall lesson you've learned about leadership.Be kind. Be firm. Set boundaries. Be communicative. Be emotional. I do not try to emulate men in the studio or amongst my peers. Me as a leader whenever its called for, I try to think of how I would want to be led; with compassion.

What's your personal or professional motto?"Whether you think you can or can't, you're right."

What does the world need more of? Less of?The world needs more female leadership. More wholistic perspectives relating to wellbeing/environment/success. The world needs less people who want to make money for the sake of making money. It's a pointless venture that has brought the world to the inbalanced place it is in.

What's the best piece of advice you ever received?"There is no right or wrong decision; you make a decision and then you make it right." This quote speaks to adaptability, letting go of regrets and being able to move forward with having learned from the past.

Name a woman (past or present) whom you think is a great role model for girls.Buffy Sainte-Marie. When I was a teenager, I discovered Buffy's music and it changed my world. It wasn't just her music, though. It was her outspoken nature, courage, openness in speaking about gender parity and environmental issues; she is a woman I continue to be inspired by everyday.

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As a member agency of YWCA Canada, YWCA Cambridge is part of a national movement known as the country’s oldest and largest women's multi-service organization, the largest national provider of shelter, literacy, life skills, employment and counselling programs, and is the second largest provider of childcare services in Canada.